Admission to a bachelor/diploma programme with little proficiency in German

Your secondary school leaving certificate and your citizenship are from an EU/EEA country or Switzerland? You want to study a bachelor or diploma programme without an entrance exam procedure but you don't have German proficiency on C1 level yet?

Apply for admission online via u:space and complete the admission procedure personally in the Admission Office within the deadlines.

Attention!

Due to amendments to the Universities Act, applicants have to include a proof of German knowledge at level A2 in their applications for degree programmes held in German from summer semester 2019 onwards, even if they would like to participate in the University Preparation Programme afterwards. For the admission to degree programmes a proof of German knowledge at level C1 is required.

University Preparation Programme of the Vienna Universities

Your steps in the admission procedure

Step 1: Preparation of required documents

Scan all required documents (in high resolution) and create PDF files. All pages of one document as well as its legalisation and/or translation have to be merged into one single PDF file by means of an online tool of your choice (i.e. school leaving certificate + legalisation + translation, special entrance qualification for university studies + translation, etc.). All your files have to be easily readable and in high quality.

Step 2: Application for admission via u:space

Activate your u:account in u:space during the application period. You will need this account during your studies at the University of Vienna.

Log in to u:space, finish the registration, select the degree programme of your choice and upload the required documents as separate files. Do not upload a "Certificate of proficiency in German at level C1" under "Other documents and proofs". Then click on "submit application."

As soon as the status of your application in u:space is "submitted" you can continue with step 3. This status does not change anymore!

Step 3: Registration at the University Preparation Programme of the Vienna Universities (VWU)

During the admission period you have to present the required documents in original or notarised copy at the Admission Office (opening hours).

In the Admission Office you will receive a written confirmation that you may participate in the German Preparation course of the VWU. Choose a cooperation partner and register for the course within the registration period (cooperation partners, costs, deadlines).

Step 4: Personal admission

Now you have to go to the Admission Office again and present the required documents in their orignal version or as notarised copies and the confirmation that you have registered for a German course at the VWU.

You have to do this personally, as your identity has to be verified. Representation by third parties is not possible!

Step 5: Payment of the students´ union fee

You may pay with your ATM or credit card (only Visa or Mastercard) when completing the admission procedure at the Admission Office.

You will be admitted as a non-degree student as soon as the prescribed fee is registered as "received on" in u:space. This means that you cannot start with your degree programme yet, you can only participate in courses and exams at the VWU.

What comes next?

As soon as the prescribed fee is registered as "registered on" in u:space > Financial Matters > Tuition fee/students' union fee you can order your student ID, the u:card.

There is no numerus clausus in Austria. Your grade point average is not relevant for the admission. Please note that some degrees have entrance exam procedures.

I have an International Baccalaureate (IB). What do I have to do?

The admission to a degree programme at the University of Vienna is only possible if your IB Diploma meets the following requirements:

You have to have reached a minimum of 24 points (an admission with an IB Certificate is not possible)

Anmong at least six subjects of examinations are

a foreign language (also possibly German)

mathematics

A minimum of at least three subjects have to be passed in "Higher Level."

When applying for admission in u:space, specify Switzerland as the issuing country of your secondary-school leaving certificate, even if you have not finished school there! An upload of the IB document as PDF file in u:space is sufficient Do not send any documents to the Admission Office via terrestrial mail! You will have to present these only when you complete the admission procedure in the Admission Office.

If you have a GIB (gemischtsprachiges IB), specify Germany as the issuing country. The requirements stay the same, the GIB can be accepted as proof of German knowlegde on C1 level.

I have GCE AL ("British A-Levels"). What do I have to do?

A confirmation that four different, independent subjects have been passed, has to be appropriately provided.

These four subjects have to include:

one foreign language

mathematics

one of the subjects: biology, physics or chemistry

one subject in humanities

At least three of the four subjects should be closely related to the degree programme you wish to study and have to be passed at GCE Advanced Level. The fourth subject has to be passed at the GCSE respectively IGCSE level. The subject German can only be considered for the GCSE/IGCSE Level, not as proof of German knowlegde for the admission.

The passed subjects should be at least graded with A*, A, B or C.

The Advanced Supplementary Level (AS) is for the prior mentioned requirements considered as GCSE level.

I have switched from another university to the University of Vienna. How can I get the exams I already took at the other university recognized?

The Studienprogrammelitung (SPL) is responsible for the recognition of exams. Once you are admitted to the University of Vienna, you can apply for recognition of your exams in the StudienServiceStelle (SSS)/StudienServiceCenter (SSC) responsible for your degree programme.

I already got a university degree. Can I apply with this certificate instead of my school leaving certificate?

Yes, if the certificate is from a recognised post-secondary educational institution (= study of at least six semesters, e.g. a three year bachelor degree programme).

Are there any bachelor degree programmes taught in English?

Even if several courses are taught entirely or partly in another language, the language of instruction for all bachelor/diploma degree programmes offered by the University of Vienna is German. Due to this a proof of proficiency in German at C1 level or higher is required for an admission to a bachelor/diploma degree programme.

How much time do I have for the admission?

The admission to a bachelor/diploma degree programme without an entrance exam procedure has to be finished for persons with a secondary school leaving certificate from a country of the EU/EEA in the winter semester until 5 September and in the summer semester until 5 February. This includes the application for admission to the degree programme in u:space and the personal admission in the Admission Office - eventually also the registration at the University Preparation Programme of the Vienna Universities (VWU - German course).

Do I need a proof of German proficiency for English and American Studies?

Yes, for all bachelor/diploma degree programmes offered by the University of Vienna a proof of proficiency in German of at least level C1 is required.